ERP with DATEV Interface

The DATEV interface is a Germany-specific feature that effectively gates an ERP's addressable market in the Mid-Market. DATEV eG, the Nuremberg-based software cooperative founded by tax advisers in 1966, dominates the German Steuerberater segment with more than 40,000 member firms. The overwhelming majority of German Mid-Market finance teams therefore exchange data with their tax adviser via DATEV-format files or, increasingly, direct DATEV-API connections. An ERP without a working DATEV interface either implements one via a partner connector or limits itself to organisations whose tax adviser uses a different platform. This page describes the formats, the native-versus-add-on choice, the GoBD documentation obligations and the ERPs known for strong DATEV support.

DATEV formats: pro, ASCII and XML

The DATEV ecosystem has accumulated several interface formats over decades. The legacy ASCII format (KNE, sometimes called the "OBE" interface) is still widely supported and remains adequate for many monthly vouchers-plus-accounts flows. DATEV pro, the current standard format, extends ASCII with richer metadata and improved master-data handling. XML-based exchange and the modern DATEV-API offer the broadest coverage including digital documents, automated DMS attachments and bidirectional flows. Buyers should verify the format version supported by their ERP and, crucially, by their tax adviser's DATEV installation; mismatches between client and adviser versions are a common source of reconciliation issues at month-end. The DATEV-API additionally requires explicit per-client authorisation, which the tax adviser configures inside the DATEV environment.

Native interface versus partner add-on

German-localised ERPs typically ship a native DATEV interface as a core feature. Sage 100, myfactory, weclapp, Lexware Inventory Management, SelectLine and microtech are recognised for mature native DATEV support covering vouchers, accounts, fixed assets and most master-data flows. International ERPs — SAP S/4HANA, Microsoft Dynamics 365, NetSuite, Oracle Fusion — usually rely on a partner-built DATEV connector available as an extension or add-on. Both models can work, but the questions differ. For native interfaces, ask about the format version, bidirectional capability and configurability per chart of accounts (SKR03, SKR04, custom). For add-on connectors, ask who maintains the connector, what its release cadence is when DATEV publishes format updates, and whether the connector is included in the ERP's support scope or operated as a separate contract.

GoBD and Verfahrensdokumentation

The GoBD (Principles for the proper keeping and Retention of books, records and documents) require every German business to maintain a Verfahrensdokumentation describing how accounting-relevant data is captured, processed, transferred and archived. The DATEV interface is one of the most prominent integration points to document: the Verfahrensdokumentation should describe which document types are exported, at what frequency, in which format version, who authorises corrections after export, and how the archived export files are retained for the ten-year statutory period. An ERP vendor that supplies a template Verfahrensdokumentation for the DATEV interface saves the customer substantial consulting effort, and several of the German-localised ERPs do so as a matter of course.

Tax-adviser data exchange in practice

In a typical Mid-Market operation, the bookkeeping team exports DATEV-format vouchers from the ERP on a monthly cycle, transfers the file to the tax adviser via DATEV Unternehmen online, DATEV DUO or a comparable secure exchange, and receives back posting confirmations and any reclassifications. With the modern DATEV-API and DATEV Unternehmen online, this cycle can run continuously rather than monthly, which improves the timeliness of management reporting but requires tighter discipline on document quality at source. The interface scope should also cover the OSS VAT special return where applicable and, for clients with payroll in-house, the DATEV Lohn und Gehalt integration. Buyers operating across Germany, Austria and Switzerland should note that DATEV is German-specific: Austrian and Swiss tax advisers typically use BMD or AbaWeb respectively, and a separate interface is required.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Does every ERP have a DATEV interface?

In the DACH region, practically every serious ERP system offers a DATEV connection, because with a market share of around 80 percent among German tax advisors DATEV is the de facto standard for data exchange; in our directory, 167 of 307 listed systems explicitly name a DATEV interface. What matters, however, is not its mere existence but the depth of the integration. A plain CSV export covers the minimum requirement, while a deep connection to DATEV Unternehmen online, including document transfer and master-data synchronisation, saves considerably more manual work on the tax advisor's side. Before making a selection, therefore, check specifically which variant the respective ERP supports.

Which DATEV format is current and which are being phased out?

The current standard for exporting posting batches is the EXTF format, a CSV file with a defined header line (consultant and client number, financial year, posting period) and the individual posting lines below it. The older Postversand format (KNE/OBE) has not been accepted by DATEV for imports since the 2017/2018 year-end changeover and is thus considered obsolete. For modern setups, connecting to DATEV Unternehmen online or the DATEVconnect interface is additionally recommended, as these transfer structured data without manual file exchange. Make sure your ERP vendor implements format updates promptly, as DATEV regularly revises the specification.

How much does a DATEV module in the ERP cost?

With many cloud ERPs, the DATEV export is already included in the standard licence scope and causes no extra costs. With classic mid-market ERPs, on the other hand, the DATEV connection is frequently sold as a paid add-on which, depending on the vendor, comes to a one-off amount in the low four figures plus ongoing maintenance. In general, bear in mind that pure licence fees usually account for only about a quarter to a third of total costs in ERP projects, while the larger share goes to implementation, customisation, training and data migration. You should therefore have the configuration of the DATEV interface itemised as a separate line item.

Can an ERP transfer postings directly to DATEV without a CSV export?

Yes, this is possible via DATEVconnect or the DATEV REST interfaces as well as via DATEV Unternehmen online, so posting records and documents are handed over almost in real time without a manual file export. Such a direct connection significantly reduces media discontinuities and error sources compared with the classic EXTF file exchange, but depending on the variant it requires a local DATEV installation and certification of the vendor as a DATEV partner. So far, however, only a portion of ERP systems support this deep integration, primarily cloud solutions. If automated document transfer matters to you, ask the vendor about it explicitly before selection, as many systems still offer only the file-based export.

Must a DATEV interface support SKR03 and SKR04?

A professional DATEV interface should make both DATEV standard charts of accounts selectable, since SKR03 and SKR04 are by far the most widely used charts of accounts. SKR03 is organised around the business workflow according to the process-structure principle, while SKR04 follows the financial-statement structure principle and is aligned with the layout of the balance sheet and profit and loss statement; which chart fits is usually specified by the tax advisor. The ERP must map the posting accounts correctly to the chosen chart so that no manual rework arises on import. Support for cost centres and cost objects as well as an audit-proof, GoBD-compliant export process are also advisable.

How does the DATEV interface relate to the e-invoicing mandate?

Since 1 January 2025, domestic companies in the B2B sector must be able to receive structured e-invoices; this receiving obligation applies without a transition period to everyone, including small businesses. The mandatory issuing follows in stages: from 2027 for companies with more than 800,000 euros in prior-year revenue, and from 2028 in principle for all domestic B2B transactions, although small businesses under Section 19 UStG and small-value invoices up to 250 euros are exempt from the issuing obligation. Permitted formats are those conforming to the European standard EN 16931, in particular XRechnung and ZUGFeRD (from the EN 16931 profile). A good ERP-DATEV connection should generate and process these formats and pass the documents on to DATEV Unternehmen online without media discontinuity, so that the legal obligation and automated document transfer come together in a single workflow.